Drew Fairchild

Drew is an energetic, engaging and dynamic leader. Drew’s ability to identify opportunities, manage risk, build a vision and work with internal and external stakeholders to achieve that vision has been a distinguishing characteristic of his career.

Drew leverages his experience, across many industries, together with his highly attuned communication and personal skills, to remove barriers to inclusion and teamwork. Drew seeks to establish an operating rhythm; sources and interprets information to facilitate decision making; establishes clear accountabilities; and manages, rewards, and celebrates performance.

For over 17 years, Drew has operated as a member of Executive Teams as a CFO, CEO and as Director. Drew has operated at the Board level of multinational companies; incorporated and unincorporated joint ventures; private companies; private equity owned businesses; fund structures; and as a founder of startups, that Drew has listed and managed as public companies on the ASX. Drew has been Chair of the Audit Committee, and a member of a Remuneration and Nomination Committees across this period.

Career History

Drew has exemplary leadership, commercial and finance competencies, developed since starting his career with Royal Dutch Shell as a Finance Graduate. Drew rapidly ascended to the position of Finance Director of Shell Australia, Board Member and Sponsor of the Superannuation Fund.

Drew has continued to develop the depth and breadth of his expertise, holding Executive Level CFO positions in different industries and across different asset classes. From highly complex and large multinationals to publicly listed and private companies, with turnover in the billions and employing thousands of people.

Drew co-founded and was CFO of an Energy Fund, sponsored by a FTSE listed global asset manager, where he led the syndication of over a billion dollars in equity and debt. Drew was a key member of team that led a management buyout of a technology company; then played a key role in listing the business on the ASX. Drew also founded a startup, a premium Australian spirit's company, also listing it on the ASX, with a multi award winning brand portfolio and launching an entire new industry, with Australian Agave spirit.

Leadership Highlights

Awarded the 'Presidents Award' for the creation of a Downstream Oil and Gas "Alliance" regarded as an "Innovative business model and potential solution for mature markets globally". The model generating incremental EBITDA of greater than $100m p.a.

Led the restructuring of the Finance Function of 80 people; implementing Sarbanes Oxley; establishing a shared services model in Malaysia; and developing and implementing a Finance Functional Plan to build finance competencies and develop talent across the organisation.

As Finance Director of a multinational business with turnover great than $15.0billion, Drew challenged leaders to move the business away from a global class of business structure to managing integrated profitability of the business with a country-based structure. Drew's leadership in developing and executing turnaround strategy was regarded as outstanding by the Chairman.

Upon commencing as a CFO of a multi-billion-dollar business in the Construction Industry, it became apparent that a number of projects were facing significant losses. The business had taken on additional leverage to undertake a share buyback, its future was challenged. Drew with a newly appointed CEO instituted a turnaround strategy to engage with the board and shareholders and banks; to recover losses; manage the portfolio; deliver project outcomes and implement a strategy of controlled growth.

Following the sudden departure of a Managing Director, of a business in the ASX Top 200 companies, Drew stepped in to provide the business with strategic and operational leadership, challenging the operating model and cost structure, then working with newly appointed CEO to institute a turnaround strategy.

Drew co-founded an Energy Fund, that was then sponsored by FTSE listed Global Asset Manager. From concept development "that mature oil and gas assets produce deterministic cashflows with attractive yields', to pitching the business, Drew then multiple bids including a fully financed $1.5b bid for onshore oil and gas assets.

Drew led a management buyout of a technology division with an ASX listed business, then playing a key role in building the business and relisting the business on the ASX.

Drew founded then led a premium Australian Spirits Company, the build out of an Australian Agave farm from inception to execution regarded as the top 10 global spirits stories. The sale of a Non Fungible Token, on the block chain, with rights to spirit from 10 plants a world first. The vodka brand, Grainshaker in top 3 at the World's Best Vodka Awards, with the winner announced in October.

Functions
Executive and Board Level Management; Remuneration and Audit Committees; Business Strategy; Business Turnarounds; Funding Strategy and Capital Management; Capital raising, Debt and Equity; Governance, Risk Management and Internal Control; M&A, Buy Side and Sell Side; Private Equity Strategies; Finance Functional Leadership; Commercial and Contract Management; Investor Relations including ESG; Finance Operations; Treasury; Financial Risk Management; Tax; Operations; Sales and Marketing; Brand Strategy; Supply and Logistics; Management Information Systems; Health Safety & Environment and Quality

Drew Fairchild

CEO / CFO / Executive and Non-Executive Director / Founder